Stepping Into the Light
by JoMikaelson
Summary: Josie feels that she has been in the shadows long enough and decides to step into the spotlight


Hope Mikealson/Josie Saltzman

The moment Josie came back from Europe with her sister Lizzie, Josie knew something was different. She had missed someone more than she thought she would, and this person was Hope Mikealson. She and Hope had been talking while she was in Europe and she had heard about the Necromancer as well as the incident with Landon's mom from her dad and not from Hope she was worried so when she got back to the school she decided she was going to talk to her.

When Josie got back to the school she went searching for Hope. She found Hope in the library. She walked over to her trying not to make a lot of nosie, but Hope heard her and said. "Hey Jos, when did you get back?"

Josie blushed at the nickname and said. "About five minutes ago. Dad was being weird so I came her to see if I could find you. What happened while I was gone?"

Hope tensed slightly and felt tears on her cheek. Josie immediately noticed and wrapped her arms around her waist, holding her close. "It's okay if you're not ready to tell me Hope, I here to listen whenever you're ready." She didn't want to tell her that she already knew, but she wanted to hear it from the tribrid.

Hope relaxed in Josie's touch and said. "I went inside the Necromancers mind and I was trapped inside his mind until I came to terms with the fact that I wanted to know how my dad was doing. I know my dad did a lot of bad things in his life, but he still deserves to find peace and be happy. He sacrificed so much for his family and for myself that I know he had good in his heart. The Necromancer told me that he won't find peace until I do and I'm not sure if he was right or not, but I know that if he was then I need to be better. I let the Necromancer escape with the knife and we found a new artifact, an urn We got Landon back to the school and I am the only one who remembers everything that happened including his mother going into Malivore." Hope's tears continued to fall down her cheeks, but Josie was their to wipe the tears away gently with the pad of her thumb. Josie then said. "How are you feeling after all that? Do you think you found peace yet?"

Hope smiled softly and said. "I'm feeling a lot of emotions, but I think I'm starting to find peace, though I can't be too sure unless I do something that I might lose someone for."

Josie looked at her and said. "Who would you lose? What makes you think that?"

Hope then looked down at Josie's lips wondering if this was the right time to express how she was feeling. She then looked back up at Josie who nodded gently, as if she understood that it was her that Hope was afraid of losing.

Hope then leaned in and kissed her lips gently. Josie smiled in the kiss and felt Hope wrap her arms around her neck.

Josie then pulled away and smiled gently. "What about now?"

Hope laughed gently and kissed her lips quickly. "I definitely think I found peace now. I just can't believe that it took me this long to find it. I hope my dad will find peace now."

Josie smiled gently and nodded. "I think he has Hope. I'm sure he would be happy to know that you found someone." She said gently.

Hope smiled and said. "I love you Josie, more than you know."

Josie smiled and kissed her lips gently. "I love you too Hope."

Landon then came in and noticed the girls in their embrace and said. "I think I'm going to go, bye."

Hope briefly looked to where Landon was at and then looked at Josie. She didn't want to leave Josie, but she felt like she needed to explain to Landon about their brief stolen moments.

"I should go talk to him, I did kiss him a few times ao he might be confused about what we were and what not." Hope said to the brunette.

Josie nodded and said. "I get it, go ahead, we'll talk about this later?"

Hope smiled at her and said. "Yes, we definitely will." She kissed her lips softly and walked away from her.

Hope caught up to Landon and said. "Landon, wait up!"

Landon stopped for a brief moment and said. "Tell me that you didn't mean anything between us."

Hope felt conflicted and said. "Landon, I can't tell you that I didn't mean anything I did, because I care about you, but my feelings for Josie have been around since I met her. I just never realized them until now."

Landon looked defeated and said. "I get it, I'm used to it."

Hope frowned and said. "I never wanted to hurt you Landon, you're a really good guy and I hope we can still be friends. I will always cherish the moments we had together."

Landon smiled gently knowing that if he had Hope in his life one way or another his life would still be okay. "I think we can still be friends. I will cherish those moments too. I'm happy for you and Josie by the way. She's good for you."

Hope blushed at the thought of Josie and said. "Thanks Landon, that means a lot." She kissed his cheek gently and said. "I'll see you later Landon." She then walked away feeling a weight off of her shoulders.

Lizzie noticed how close Hope and Josie were that day and felt as if she had lost her best friend, but at the end of the day after all of her wishes she realized that she would rather have Josie be happy than lose her for good, knowing that she caused her death in the last wish world where she wished that Hope never existed.

Josie came into their room with a huge smile on her face. "I'm not sure if it's just me, but I'm having a really good day." She said aloud.

She then looked at her sister and said. "What's wrong Lizzie?"

Lizzie smiled gently and said. "I've made some horrible mistakes, and I know that I haven't been the best sister, but I promise that I will always be happy for you no matter what. I think Hope is really good for you."

Josie gauffed and said. "How did you...So you know that Hope and I..."

Lizzie laughed and said. "I'm not blind, silly goose, I know you and Hope kissed because Hope is always happier around you, I never knew why until today. Though if she does hurt you, she will get a mouthful of slugs." Which she immediately shuddered at the thought of since they had mind controlling slugs.

Josie blushed and said. "I know, but I don't think Hope will hurt me, not like Penelope did."

Lizzie nodded and said. "I'm still giving her the protective sister talk and telling her to protect you with every fiber of her being."

Josie nodded and said. "Duly noted." She hugged her sister and said. "I'm going to go talk to Hope now, we haven't actually discussed if we're together or not."

Lizzie gasped and said. "Well what are you waiting for dorkus, go talk to her!" She pushed her sister out of the room.

Josie walked to Hope's room with a smile on her face and said to herself. 'You got this Josie, it was definitely worth the wait. Though I will have to tell Lizzie and Hope the truth about why they weren't close friends.' She knocked on her door and Hope opened the door with a smile on her face.

"Hey Jos, come in." She said. She then stepped away from the door to let the brunette in.

Josie smiled and said. "So how did your talk with Landon go?"

Hope smiled knowing that Josie will always have a huge heart and care about others, sometimes putting them before herself. "It was good, we're going to continue to be friends, I will always care about him, but my feelings for you have always been there." She said gently.

Josie then felt a little guilty about the mistakes she has made. 'Yep, I was right, I will have to tell them about the fire..'

Hope then noticed Josie's slight frown and said. "What's wrong Josie?"

Josie sighed softly and said. "Remember that fire here in your dorm three years ago?"

Hope nodded and said. "Yeah, your sister thinks that I was the one who set it on fire. Which I didn't, why do you ask?"

Josie teared up and said. "I know it wasn't you, because it was me.. I had written you a note which I immediately regreted and your room was locked so I did a fire spell under your door. I was only aiming for the note, I didn't know it was going to burn half of your room and a painting you made with your dad. I'm so sorry Hope."

Hope looked hurt and confused. She didn't understand why Josie would burn her room because she is the sweetest person she knows. "Why did you do it Josie?" She asked with a frown on her face. She wanted nothing more than to wipe the tears off her face, but she needed answers.

Josie then said. "I had a crush on you. And you know Lizzie, she tries not to, but whenever I like someone she goes for them and she always wins. So when she said I was obsessed with you I made up the lie that you had called her a bipolar witch." Josie turned away to leave Hope's room only to see her sister with a hurt look on her face.

"Why would you lie to me?" Lizzie said.

Josie teared up more and said. "I'm ao sorry Lizzie. I just wanted to have a chance to be a little selfish. Which in the end backfired." She was officially cornered now when all she wanted to do was leave and curl herself up in a ball and cry. She didn't dare look at her or Hope because of the fear that they would hate her.

Hope who had already forgiven her said. "You had a crush on me then?"

Josie looked at Hope briefly and said. "Of course I did. Who wouldn't."

Lizzie then said. "We'll talk about this later Josie. I'm going to let you talk to Hope. I love you, I just need some time to process this." She then walked away leaving the two to talk.

Josie couldn't hold it in any longer and fell to the floor on her knees crying. Hope immediately knelt down next to her whispering soft words in her ear and holding her close.

Josie then looked at her with tear streaks on her face and said. "Why don't you hate me Hope? I ruined part of your life."

Hope looked at her and said. "I don't hate you because you didn't mean to ruin my room, you just didn't want me to see the note you had written."

Josie then pulled away and said. "But I was so selfish! I could have just told Lizzie about my crush on you then and we wouldn't be in this situation."

Hope pulled her back in her embrace and said. "You're right, you could have told Lizzie, but she probably would have tried to win me over from you. Which I will tell you wouldn't have worked. But I'm kinda glad you burned my room. It gave us both the chance to get to see what heart break is and how we are stronger because of it."

Josie looked at her with confusion written all over her face. Hope then said. "You wouldn't have been with Penelope, and I wouldn't have been with either Roman or had breif moments with Landon. Besides I could never hate you Jos, your selflessness outweighs your one selfish moment." The tribrid then kissed her lips gently and said. "I love you Josie."

Josie smiled gently and said. "I love you too Hope."

Hope then smiled softly and said. "Do you want to tell me what you wrote in that note three years ago?"

Josie blushed and said. "It's cheesy Hope, I don't think you would like it."

Hope looked at her and said. "Try me Jos."

Josie took a deep breath and said. "Dear Hope, in this letter is a poem I wrote thinking about you. How I feel about you. I'm not sure how you'll respond, but here it goes. 'My heart races whenever I think about you. My mind goes in circles just thinking about you, I'm at my best when I'm with you and I can't help but smile as I see you. They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and I feel that when I look at you that you are the most beautiful person inside and out. Will you do me the honor of being the one who cherishs your beauty?' Then there were two boxes, one for yes, the other for no and an area for an explanation if you wanted to give me one."

Hope teared up and said. "Josie that was beautiful, did you mean it?" She was pretty sure the brunette meant it, but she needed to hear it.

Josie nodded sincerely and said. "I meant every word I wrote. I still mean it now, if you'll have me?"

Hope then said. "Is this your way of asking me to be your girlfriend?"

Josie blushed and said. "Yes? Only if you want to be."

Hope smiled, kissed her lips gently and said. "Yes, I will be your girlfriend you dorkus."

Josie smiled and said. "I love you."

Hope smiled and said. "I love you too."

The brunette then frowned slightly and said. "I think Lizzie might need space tonight, can I spend the night here?"

Hope smiled and nodded. "Of course Jos." They then got ready for bed and held each other close as they drifted off to sleep.


End file.
